Vegetarian Chili....with smoked sausage!

It's been a while since I made chili. Beans haven't been at the top of my list of food choices, good as they are.... But I've had so much chicken stock from all of the roasting I've been doing (still more bones in the freezer) that some kind of hearty soup was in order. That, and the fact that I was without any kind of protein in the house except for 1 link of Andouille sausage in my freezer (yep, the Prime Rib is all gone!).

I often joke that I eat more vegetables than most vegetarians! But really, I admit that's because I eat more food than most vegetarians! I've posted many chili recipes in the past because, along with using a pressure cooker, making chili is practically a no brainer. You don't even need veggies...but that wouldn't be any fun, would it? The only difference between stew and chili is the chili spices. Everything else is the same. Onion, celery, carrot, chili spices (see note*), garlic, beans (any kind), and protein (again, any kind).

Chili is a meal that can be made in one pot that includes a ton of nutrition, can be made in advance (and gets better day by day), can be frozen if need be, takes little effort and little time, and is loved by everybody. Chili is also one of those meals that you can almost literally throw anything and everything into! (it's also low in fat if that's one of your concerns)

This morning my chili started with diced sausage, adding onion, celery, diced rainbow chard stems, carrot. Chili spices, chipolte chili, garlic. Pintos, black eyed peas, kidney and small red beans. I didn't add black beans because if you don't pre soak your black beans they can turn everything else in the pot black!

I did my veg prep last night (before I polished my nails!) and first thing this morning it took 15 minutes to start, and it cooking away right now at high pressure in the PC....smells great! I'll add the chard leaves to wilt in the hot chili and lunch (or dinner) is taken care of before 6:00am.

I think I need to visit my kids this weekend and show them how to make it!

* For chili spice ingredients http://tracysfoodandthought.blogspot.com/2011/09/making-your-own-spice-blends.html

*For my very first chili recipe blogpost http://tracyrif.blogspot.com/2007/12/its-going-to-be-chili-winter.html